Rugby triple jumper Gary White to the challenge of his first Great Britain under-23 international with a new lifetime best.

Competing in Manchester in Britain's match against France, Spain and the Czech Republic, White underlined his temperament for the big occasion with a leap of 15.56 metres in between two other 15-metre jumps in the best series of his blossoming career.

The 20-year-old finished fourth in the competition, won by Davy Manga of France with 16.07, and his best effort was one of the few in the competition which registered a minus wind reading - the swirling wind blowing as much as three metres per second behind the athletes at one point.

White was more than happy with his overall performance in another important stage of his development, and this weekend he represents the Midlands Counties in an under-23 inter-area match in Derby against the South, North, Scotland and Wales.